LISTENING

Sometimes talking is easier than listening. But, in James 1:19, we are told to be “swift to hear, slow to speak.” This is good advice. There is a price to pay when one talks too much and does not listen enough. Someone has suggested that perhaps that is why God made us with two ears and one mouth! We should listen twice as much as we speak!

Communication consultant Art Robertson said, “The number one cause of divorce in our society is lack of listening.” Marital relationships can become frail or even break when neither partner listens to the other. But, other relationships can also become difficult when we don’t develop our listening skills. Please consider these three reasons for becoming a better listener.

1.     Listening shows our compassion for others. The degree to which you listen to another person can often reveal the degree to which you care for, respect, or love that person. Taking the time to listen is a sign of compassion.

2.     Listening should concentrate on trying to understand instead of trying to correct. Too often people will listen only to try and “trip” someone up or look for the “flaws” in what they are saying. This is especially true of those who spend a lot of time together and care for one another. Parents and children, husbands and wives, teachers and students, and employers and employees can all get caught up in listening only to correct instead of to understand. If this happens, we need to pause, step back, and begin to apply the golden rule of listening. Listen to others the way you would want to be listened to.

3. Listening helps the talker as well as the listener. When we stop to listen, we can start to learn. You will often find that the people who are the leaders and the most trusted individuals in an organization are those who have cultivated this characteristic. People who will listen are often appreciated and given many other opportunities for service.

We definitely need to listen to one another. But, we also need to listen to God. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Maybe we have been given two ears and one mouth for a reason!

                                   Ronaldo Ricardo Guzmán